Player-piano reroll mechanism



Dec. 25, 1923. 1,478,456

, T. ROTTER PLAYER PIANO REROLL MECHANISM v Filed Aug. 24 19 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwuemto'a T.ROTTER Dec. 1923.

PLAYER PIANO REROLL MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fkeodoreE/x;

Filed Aug. 24 192 T. ROTTER PLAYER PIANO REROLL MECHANISM Dec. 25 1923.

Filed Aug. 24 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 25 1923.

1,478,456 T. ROTTER PLAYER PIANO REROLL MECHANISM Filed Aug. 24 T922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 25, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE ROTTER. OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN CUSTER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

PLAYER-PIANO BEROLL MECHANISM.

Application filed August 24, 1922. Serial No. 583,945.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE Ro'r'rnn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Player-Piano Reroll Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to player piano rewind and reverse mechanism and has special reference to that class of piano players including an air motor and a pneumatic apparatus by which the actuation of piano hammers and other parts are controlled by a roll of perforated paper operatable relative to a tracker bar or board forming part of the pneumatic apparatus. In this class of piano players more or less trouble has been experienced because a piece of music is often over-played, that is, the end of the roll of paper torn from the re-wind or carrier roll, by an inexperienced or even an experienced operator forgetting to stop the player at the proper time. To eliminate the overrunning of a player and injury to a roll of paper is the purpose of this invention, and I accomplish a cessation in the operation of the player by causing mechanism to be operated which will automatically disengage the motive power relative to the take-up roll and transfer it to the rewind or carrier roll, such taking place just before the end of the roll of paper is reached on the rewind or carrier roll. By transferring power from the takeup roll to the rewind or carrier roll, the roll of paper can be immediately rewound on to the carrier roll and during the cessation in the operation of the player the carrier roll can be removed and another substituted therefor.

In one embodiment of my invention I utilize the ordinary air motor of a piano player for rewinding purposes in addition to its usual office, but in another embodiment of my invention I utilize gravity means, as a weight, for rewinding the sheet of paper on the carrier roll and employ a governor in connection with the take-up roll to prevent excessive speed and probable injury to the perforated sheet.

My invention further aims to provide a mechanism, as outlined above, that may be readily built into player pianos without material alteration or change in such pianos, the

mechanism being easy to assemble and of a durable nature.

The construction entering into my invention will be hereinafter described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of the rewind mechanism relative to a piano keyboard, with the mechanism partly broken away and partly in section, and showing the same in a playing position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the mechanism in a rewinding position;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the mechanism devoid of a carrier roll;

Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sectional views of a pneumatic valve and bellows operating device, showing the same in two positions;

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of clutch shifting elements, in two positions;

F ig. 8 is a front elevation of a portion of the rewind mechanism illustrating another embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the same showing the gravity rewind mechanism, and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged side elevation of a governor.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 denotes a portion of a conventional form of piano keyboard and in proximity to this keyboard is a horizontal support 2, a vertical end frame 3, a vertical end frame 4, and a bearing frame 5 connecting the support 2 and the frame 4. The bearing frame 5 is provided with bearings 6, 7 and 8 and journaled in the bearing 7 is a drive shaft 9 provided with a small gear wheel 10, and sprocket wheels 11 and 12.

On the support 2 or an extension thereof is a conventional form of air motor 13 including a driven crank shaft 14; provided with a sprocket wheel 15 vertically alining with the sprocket wheel 12 of the shaft 9 so that a sprocket chain 16 may be employed for transmitting power from the motor driven shaft 14 to the shaft 9.

Mounted in the end frame 4 is a bearing 17 for a pintle shaft 18 having a clutch member 19 and a pintle 20. Extending into the clutch end of the pintle shaft 18 is a clutch shaft 21 which has its opposite end journaled in the bearing 6 of the frame 5 and slidably keyed on the shaft 21 and adapted to rotate therewith and be shifted to and Q iterates from the clutch member 19 is a clutch 111E111- ber 22 whichniiaybe consideredas a rewind clutch for the reason that it controls the application of power from the air motor to a rewind or carrier roll 23 which has one end thereof detachably held by the pintle 20. On the clutch shaft 21 is a sprocket wheel 24 in vertical alinement withthesprocket wheel 11 of the shaft 9 and an endless sprocketchain 25 transmits power from the shaft- 9 to the clutch shaft 21.

In the endfrani'e 4 is another bearing 26 for a takeup roll shaft 27 having a conventionalform'of takeaip roll 28 provided with a hold-fast device 29. Extending into the shaft 27 is one end of a clutch shaft 30 which has its opposite end journaled in the bearing 8 of the frame 5' and mounted on theshaft 30 is a large gear wheel 31 meshing with a small gear wheel 10 of theshaft 9, and I would'have it understood that the gear wheels, sprocket wheels and sprocket chains herein referredto are examples of other power" transmission means that may be e'iiiplo'yed' foropera-ting the shafts 21 and 30 from the air motor 13.

Slidably keyed on the shaft 30 and adapted torotate therewith is a player clutch 32 adapte'd'to engage a take-up roll clutch 33 and the'clutches 22 and 32 are shiftable in synchronism by virtue of a lever 34 fulcrumed or pivotedon a bracket 35 carried by theend frame 4. The lever 34 has portions or forks thereof loosely engaging the clutch members 22' and 32, and the lower end'ofsaid lever is pivo'tally connected by a link 36 to a bell crank 37 pivotally supporte'dfroni'the support 2. The bell crank 37 is connected by another link 38 to another bell crank 39' pivotally supported from a ledge 40 of the keyboard 1. The ledge 40 has an opening 41 providing clearance for 1 an operating crank or lever 42 pivotally supported'from a bracket 43 attached to the ledge 40, and the lower end of the lever or crank is connected'by a link 44 to the bell crank 39. The lever or crank 42 may be shifted to control rotation of either of the rolls '23 or 28 by the air motor 13.

The end frame 3 has a bearing 45 for an end of the take-up roll 28 and another bearing 46 for a spring pressed hollow pintle 47 which isslidable in the bearing 46 and normally pressed by a coiled spring 48 housed within the "bearing. The pintle 47 has a longitudinal passage 49 and on one end of said pintle is a rotatable yieldable end piece 50 frictionally engaging the end of the rewind or carrier roll 23' and adapted to communicate with a recess 51 in the end of said roll. Communicating with the recess 51 is a radially disposed port 52 in the roll 23 and adapted to register with this port are perforations 53 in a sheet or strip of perforated paper 54 which has one end thereof fixed to the re wind. or carrier roll 23 and the opposite end thereof adapted to be held by the holdfast device 29 of the take-up roll 28 so that it may be wound on said roll. The sheet or strip of paper will be hereinafter referred to as a music sheet and as such is adapted to have its perforations or slots 55 register with vents or openings 56 of a tracker bar or board 5? supported by the frames 3 and 4.

Communicating with the outer end of the hollow pintle 4? is a hose or flexible conduit 58 connected to a chambered pneumatic valve body 59 suitably supported from or below the ledge 40 of the keyboard 1. The pneumatic valve body 59 has superposed chambers 60, 61 and 62 with tie chamber normally communicating with the hose 58, the chamber (32 with the atmosphere by a port 63in the top of the valve body 59, and the chambers 61 and 62 adapted to cominunicatc with each other by a port 64. The chambers 60 and 61 are separated by a flexible diaphragm 65 adapted to be raised by reduction of atmospheric pressure within the chamber 61, said chamber cominunicating with a pipe 66 adapted to be connected to a pump or source of suction (not shown). A reduction ofatmospheric pressure within the chamber 61 causes the diaphragm 65 to impinge against and raise a valve rod 67 extending through the ports 63 and and provided with valves 68 and within the chamber 62. The valve 68 serves the port andcontrols communication with the atmosphere, while valve 69 serves the port 64 and controls the com munication between the chambers 61 and 62. On the side of the pneumatic valve body 59 is a bellows actuating device 7 0 communicati with. the chamber 62 of the valve body by ports or openings 71. The actuating device 70 is pivotally connected by a link 72 to the crank or lever 42 so that the actuating device *i'O may also control the application of power to the carrier roll 23 or the take-up roll 28.

Extending through the support 2 and pivotally supported therefrom is an arm 7 3 having its upper end connected by a link 74 to the lower end of the lever 34, and the lower end of the arm 73 is pivotally connected to a clutch throw rod 75 extending through an opening 76 in the end frame 3. The throw rod 75 has two offset. portions 77 and 78, one at each side of the frame 3 and the offset portion 77 is adapted to ride on to a resilient member or spring 79 carried the frame 3 contiguous to the opening '56 therein. The offset portion 78 is movable'relative to an angularly disposed bracket 80 carried by the frame 3 and the extreme endof the throw rod 75 is adapted to impinge against or engage under an arm 81 pivotally supported by a bracket 82, carried by the "frame 3. The upper end of the arm 81 is pivotally connected by a link 83 to the spring pressed hollow pintle 47.

In explaining the operation of the mecha nism, reference will first be had to Fig. 1 showing the clutch members 32 and 33 engaged and the clutch members 19 and 22 disengaged. Assuming that the air motor is in operation, it is obvious that the take-up roll 28 will be driven and the sheet music 54 wound from the carrier roll 23 on to the take-up roll 28.

During this operation the pneumatic valve is in the condition shown in Fig. 4 where a reduction of atmospheric pressure in the chamber 61 holds the valve 69 seated and the valve (58 open with the chamber 62 communicating with the atmosphere. Since the recess 51 of the carrier roll 23 is closed, the reduction of atmospheric pressure within the chamber 61 can not flex the diaphragm 65 upwardly, but eventually the port 52 of the carrier roll 23 is opened to the atmosphere by the perforations 53 being uncovered. Then, the reduction of atmospheric pressure in the chamber 61, being less than the atmospheric pressure in the chamber 62, causes the diaphragm 65 to be flexed upwardly, raising the valve rod 67 and the valves carried thereby, closing the port- 63, and causing a reduction of atmospheric pressure in the bellows actuating device 70. This device is retracted and by virtue of its connections with the lever 34L, the clutch members :32 and 33 are disengaged, thus stopping rotation of the take-up roll to prevent excessive winding and tearing or breaking of the end of the sheet of music from the rewind or carrier roll 23.

As pointed out in the beginning the clutches controlled by the lever 34; operate in synchronism, therefore, disengagement oi the clutches 32 and 33 causes engagement of the clutches 19 and 22, the result being that the motion of the sheet of music is reversed and it is rewound on the carrier roll It is obvious that the same re sults can be obtained, at any time during the rendition of the piece of music by manipulating the crank or lever 42.

Actuation of the lever 34: by the bellows actuating device 70, to disengage the clutch members 32 and 33, causes the lever 34 to actuate the arm 73 and push upon the clutch throw rod 7 5. This rod will assume the position shown in Figs. 3 or 6 by the offset portion 77 of said rod riding upwardly on to the resilient member 79 and placing said rod on the bracket 80 with the end of said rod under the arm 81. As the ofi-set portion 77 of the rod rides up on to the resilient member 79 the end or the rod 75 is brought into engagement with the underside of the bracket and the resilient member 79 is slightly depressed until the off-set portion 78 of the rod 7 5 reaches the'bracket 80, when the end of said rod is raised against the lower end of the arm 81, as shown in Fig. 2. The resilient member 79 is still under a slight compression, and when the roll is removed from its pintle and the arm 81 shifted to the position shown in Fig. 3, it releases the end of the rod 75 and permits said rod to be elevated against the upper wall of the opening 76, as shown in Fig. 3. The position of the rewind mechanism is shown in Fig. 2, and just before the sheet of music 54 is completely rewound on the carrier roll 23, the end of the sheet of music is automatically removed from the hold-fast device 29 of the take-up roll 28. When such has been accomplished, the operator of the player piano ceases to operate the air motor 13, thus bringing the mechanism to an inactive condition.

To remove the rewind or carrier roll 23 and substitute a new roll therefor, the roll 23 is pushed against the yieldable hollow pintle 47 to permit of the end of the roll being removed from the pintle 20, pushing on the hollow pintle 47 and then releasing said pintle, by removal of the roll 23, permits the expansive force of the spring 48 to force the pintle 47 in the direction of the pintle 20 and this causes the arm 81 to be actuated to the extent that the end of the rod 75, under the influence of the resilient member or spring 79 may engage the side of the arm 81, as shown in Fig. 3. The upward movement of the clutch throw rod 75 is limited by the upper wall of the opening 76 and the offset portion 78 of said rod provides clearance for the end of the bracket 80. Now, to place the new roll in position, the end of a sheet of music is first attached to the take-u roll 28, one end of the music roll place. in engagement with the pintle 4:7 and as the opposite end of the music roll is placed in engagement with the pintle 20 it is obvious that the pintle 47 must yield. In doing so it causes the arm 81 to push on the clutch throw rod 75, and through the medium of the arm 73 the clutch members- 32 and 33 are engaged and the clutch mem bers 19 and 22 disengaged, thus starting the take-up roll 28.

In lieu of using power from the air motor 13 to operate the rewind or carrier roll to rewind the sheet of music thereon, I may use the gravity means shown in Figs. 8 and 9, in which case the clutch members 19 and are eliminated, also the sprocket wheels 11 and 24:, the chain 25 and the upper end of the lever 34. The pintle shaft 18 is provided with an extension and mounted thereon is a small gear wheel 84 meshing with a large gear wheel 85 mounted on a shaft 86, journaled in brackets 87, carried by the frames 4 and 5. On the shaft 86 is fixed a drum or spool 88 to which is attached a cable 39 adapted to wound and unwound relative to the drum. With the mechanism located in a piano, the piano casing or suitable supports therein are provided with sheaves 90 over which the cable 89 is trained and its end provided with a weight 91.

lVhile the-music is being played the cable 89 is wound on the drum 91 raised. lVhen the clutch members" 32 and 33 are disengaged the weight 91 may descend by gravity, unwind the cable 89, cause rotation of the shaft 18, and rewinding of the sheet of music on the roll 23.

in order to prevent excessive speed from injuring a sheet of music while being rewoun'd, the take-up roll shaft 27 is provided with a transversely disposed slidable governor arm 92 having one end thereof provided with an abutment 93 for a coiledvexpansion spring 9% encircling the governor arm between the abutment 93 and the shaft 27. The opposite end of the governor arm 92 has a shoe 95 adapted to frictionally engage the inner wall of a cylindrical governor shell or housing 96 mounted on the side of the frame l. The governor shoe 95 is held normally retracted by the expansive force of the spring 94:, but when centrifugal force is greater than the force of the spring 94, then the shoe 95 engages the shell or housing 96 and retards rotation of the takeup roll 28 and consequently rewinding of the sheet of music on the carrier roll 23.

It is thought that the operationand utility of my invention will be apparent without further description, and while in the drawings there are illustrated the preferred embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible tosuch changes, in size, shape and manner of assembling, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

l i hat I claim is 1. In a player piano wherein motive power is adapted to wind a music sheet from a carrier roll to a take-up roll ;-means controlling the winding and adapted to place re-wind means in condition to rewind the music sheet from the take-up roll. to the carrier roll, said controlling means comprising a clutch controlling the application of power to said carrier and take-up rolls, a pneumatic actuating device adapted for operating said clutch, a pneumatic valve controlling the operation of said pneumatic actuating device, said carrier roll having a port therein normally covered by the music sheet and adapted to be uncovered as the music sheet is unwound from said carrier roll, and a hollow pintle at one end of said carrier roll establishing communication between said port of said carrier roll and said pneumatic valve and adapted to change air pressures in said pneumatic valve to cause actuation of said pneumatic actuating de- 88 and the weight vice and shifting of said clutch so that the music sheet is rewound after uncovering the port of said carrier roll.

2. In a player piano wherein motive power is adapted to wind a music sheet from a carrier roll to a takehp roll ;means controlling the winding and adapted to place rewind me'ansin condition to rewind the music sheet from the take-up roll to the carrier roll, said means comprising a clutch controlling the application of power to said take-up roll, a pneumatic actuating device adapted for pneumatic actuating device adapted to 001m municate with a source of suctions to be operated thereby, andmeans including a valve controlled from said carrier roll by the music sheet for controlling the operation of said pneumatic actuating device.

In a player piano wherein motive power is adapted to wind a music sheet from a carrier roll to" a take-up roll; means controlling the winding and adapted to place re-wind means in condition to re wind the music sheet from the take-up roll to the carrier roll, said means comprising a clutch controlling the application of power to said take-up roll, pneumatic means for shifting said clutch, and controlling means tor said pneumatic means, said controlling m ans including providing the carrier roll with a port normally covered by the music sheet and adapted to be uncovered thereby.

l. A player piano as called for in claim 1, and means adapted to be actuated by shifting said hollow pintle to shift said clutch and cause winding of the music sheet from the carrier roll to the take-up roll.

5. In a player piano wherein motive power controlled by pneumatic means causes a music sheet to be woundfrom a carrier roll to a takeup roll, and rewind means causes the music sheet to be rewound on the carrier roll; automatic means controlling the operation of said pneumatic means, said automatic means including providing the carrier roll with a port normally closed by the music sheet and adapted to be uncovered thereby to cause a cessation in the winding of the music sheet on to the takeup roll.

6. A player piano as called for in claim 5, and manually actuated means forming part of said automatic means adapted when actuated to cause winding of the music sheet fromthe carrier roll on to the take-up roll.

7. In a player piano wherein motive power and clutches controlled by pneumatic means causes a music sheet to be wound from a carrier roll to a take-up roll automatic means controlling the operation of said pneumatic means, said automatic means including providing the carrier roll with a port normally communicating with a shiftable hollow pintle, the carrier roll 0 eratin said clutch. said port being normally closed by the music sheet and adapted to he uncovered and cause actuation of said pneumatic means and a cessation in the winding of the music sheet on to the take-up roll; and means placed in an active condition during the playing of the music sheet to cause said music sheet to be rewound on the carrier roll after a cessation in the winding operation of said take-u roll.

8. A player piano as called for in claim 7, wherein the last mentioned means 1ncludes a drum rotated from said carrier roll, a weight, and a flexible member attached to said weight and drum and adapted to be wound and unwound relative to said drum.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODORL ROTTER. WVitnesses:

JOHN CUs'rER, KARL H. BUTLER. 

